By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — Former Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers states, Senator Seriake Dickson and Rotimi Amaechi, have sounded a warning that Nigeria’s democracy is under serious threat from persistent electoral fraud, voter apathy, and political manipulation as the 2027 general elections approach.
The two leaders spoke at the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily Newspaper, in Abuja, yesterday, where political figures, diplomats and media executives gathered to discuss the future of Nigeria’s electoral system.
The theme of the event was ‘2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?’
Dickson, who chaired the event, said: “Rigging of elections is the worst coup you can plan. A worse form of violation of the sovereignty of the people is when politicians, governments, security agencies, and the electoral umpire itself collude and cook election results that have no reference whatsoever to the people.
“In other words, the people don’t even vote, but votes are written and ascribed to them, and then people say go to court now. As far as I’m concerned, anyone who has carried that out has committed a coup against democracy, against the country, and against the sovereignty of the people.”
Dickson recalled his experience as a governor in the opposition, saying: “I was a governor in an opposition and fought a lot of battles to keep my state in opposition, and I saw all of this. What the average Nigerian politician calls election planning, if we’re honest, is a conspiracy to commit crimes.”
He called on the National Assembly to strengthen the nation’s electoral laws to prevent result falsification and protect the people’s mandate.
Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Amaechi, in his goodwill message, shared similar concerns and criticised Nigeria’s failure to implement lasting electoral reforms.
“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that there is no incumbent government that can achieve electoral reform. None. We already tried it and failed,” Amaechi stated.
He argued that entrenched political interests often frustrate reform efforts and accused opposition parties of failing to provide a credible alternative to the ruling elite.
Amaechi warned that voter apathy and public indifference were creating the conditions for rigging to continue unchecked.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, criticised what he described as the unhealthy link between election management and political power. He warned that Nigeria’s democracy would remain fragile as long as those overseeing elections were politically aligned.
“Everyone who has something to do with the management of elections is connected to the president,” Amadi lamented.
He said the abandonment of neutral and independent appointments had turned elections into contests of force and influence rather than a reflection of the people’s will.
In his welcome remarks, Daniel Markson, Publisher of First Daily, lamented Nigeria’s leadership crisis, which he blamed on flawed elections and poor governance.
“There is a leadership issue in this country. I know there are leaders here. I’m not particularly pointing fingers at any of you, but let’s tell ourselves the truth: we have failed,” he said.
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